Consecrating empathy

One time, after Jesus was busy ministering to people and healing them, He went to a
solitary place to pray.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up,
left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else, to the nearby villages, so I can preach there also. That is why I have come. (Mark 1:35-38)”

Jesus had a freedom to say ‘No’ to certain demands in order to do what He was called to do. This came out of His prayer life and relationship with God the Father. If we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps then we are to have the same discerning spirit.

Our lives have changed drastically over the last few weeks, with restrictions of movement, many places, schools and churches closing down – for now. People with children are probably busier than before. People living on their own restricting human connection to mostly online encounters. Doctors, nurses, and those working in shops serving the country “on the front line”.

While demands have changed – increased for some, reduced for others – our ability to care for each other, and for the world around us, has been put on overdrive. The positive elements to it show us we are all connected. Our hearts are challenged to expand, to include the whole world in our prayer. But this can also be overwhelming.

The wisdom from John Eldredge may give us much needed peace. Eldredge speaks about “consecrating empathy”. Watching the news can easily overwhelm us. Yet the answer is not in shutting down every negative story we might hear and doing nothing. Instead, what we can do is “consecrate our capacity to care” (Eldredge). In other words, we can say a brief prayer and join our own capacity for care with Jesus’ capacity, which is infinitely greater. This way we are also giving God permission to direct us, to guide us how to use this capacity.

Having invited Jesus to help us in this caring process may eventually increase our own capacity in loving others, deepen our prayer, and bring creative solutions to our actions. Above all, it might increase the peace in our hearts, the peace that surpasses understanding. The more inner peace increases, the more peace there will be in the world too.

 

Iva Beranek
Dr Iva Beranek is the Ministry Facilitator for the CMH: Ireland

Online guided meditation with intercessions – 26th March

Thank you to those of you who joined in our online retreat last week.
If you missed it, you can listen and pray through the recording, which can be found
on the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.

This week we will offer an online guided meditation with intercessions for the needs in our country & in the world. Join us live on our Facebook page this Thursday, 26th March, at 11am.

Blessings & keep safe.

CMH:I online retreat – 19th Marth

We are offering online retreat this Thursday, 19th March, via Facebook live, at 11am to 12noon.

Here you can find the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.

During this time of social distancing, the need to connect with each other still remains. This will be a space to connect with God, the source of all peace. We will join our prayers together – there will be a time within the hour where we will be able to bring our own petitions and intercessions to God.

No need to register. Simply tune in whenever you can.

Be free to let others know.
You are in our prayers.
Keep safe.